John r



(No Model.)

J. R. LOMAS..

MUSIC RACK FOR HANDS.

Patented Dec. 3, 1889.

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T IDEEEHIEE SUEDE@ i. EDDIIEIII VlVH-H- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN R. LOMAS, OF VEST HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-IIAIE TOBERNARD SIIONINGER, OF SAME PLACE.

MUSIC-RACK FOR PIANOS.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,471, datedDecember 3, 1889.

Application iiled September 9, 1889. Serial No. 323,377. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN R. LOMAS, of IVest Haven, in the county of NewHaven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Iniprovement inMusic-Racks for Pianos 5 and I do hereby declare the following, whentaken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters ofreference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification,and represent, in-

Figure l, a front view showing the panel in the closed position, andrepresenting the internal mechanism in broken lines; Fig. 2, atransverse vertical section cutting` through the panel in the closedposition; Fig. 3, the same as Fig. 2, representing the panel as thrownoutward, as for a book or music support; Fig. 4, an interior view of aportion of the'case, showing one of the crank-arms and its connectionwith the panel; Fig. 5,a transverse section through the lower bar of the'panel-frame and the' desk, showin g the hinge between them; Eig. 6, amodification in the link-connection between the crank-arm and desk.

This invention relates to an improvement in racks for that class ofpianos commonly called uprights,7 and in which a panel, usually ofopen-work, is formed in the case over the key-board and in front of theplayer. Various appliances have been arranged for supporting the musicin this class of pianos. In some cases the panel itself has beenutilized as a part of the support. It is to this construction that thisinvention particularly relates, the object being a simple mechanism bywhich the pan el may be thrown outward and forward at its lower edge toan inclined position, with a desk combined therewith to turn intohorizontal position as the panel is thrown outward and returned as thepanel is returned and the invention consists in the construction ashereinafter described, and particularly recited in the claims.

A "represents the lower and B the upper bar of the upper panel of thefront portion of the piano-case; C, the panel which is surrounded by aframe composed of a'top D, a

bottom E, and ends F F. The panel itself is of open-work, as usual inthis class of instruments, for the escape of the sound from theinterior.

The frame is constructed with an upward f extension G, through anopening below and into a space behind the upper bar B, surrounding thepanel, and directly behind thc top of the panel, a stationary stop orbearing II is arranged in the frame, against which the panel will bearwhen in its up and closed position, as seen in Fig. 2. The space betweenthe stop II and the bar B permits the panel to slide downward from thetop, as from the position seen iu Fig. 2 to that seen in Fig. 3, andthis space permit-s the panel to be turned outward atits lower edge, itturning in the said space between the bar B and the stop H, so that asthe panel with its frame is drawn downward it may be turned outward, asfrom the position seen in Eig. 2 to that seen in Fig. The bottom orlower portion E of the frame is lnade in two parts, the one part E beingthe stationary part of the panelframe, and it is recessed on its front,so that thc second part I, hinged to the frame E at its lower edge, asat J, may turn down into a horizontal position and come to a bearingagainst the lower edge of the bottom of the frame E, as from theposition seen in Fig. 2 to that seen in Fig. This hinged part I forms adesk upon which the music may stand and be supported by the panel andits frame; or when the panel is returned to its place the desk I may befolded substantially iiush and so as to form a part of the frame-panel,as seen in Figs. l and 2.

To automatically' operate the desk and at the same time support thepanel and desk in either position to which they may be turned, I arrangea rock-shaft K in bearings L L directly in rear of the panel andparallel therewith, this shaft preferably extending snbstantially thelength of the panel. This rockshaft is constructed with two arms M M,turned at right angles to the shaft, the ends of the shaft being turnedat right angles to the said arms and parallel with the shaft, so as toform cranlepins N. These crank-pins are supported in. bearings O on thepanel,

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so that as the panel swings outward from the position in Fig. I to thatin Fig. 3 the crank-arms M will be correspondingly turned outward anddownward, which movement causes the cranks to operate as cams to givethe required outward movem ent to the panel in order that the rack, as awhole, may stand in the proper inclined position. Normally thecrank-arms M stand substantially in a vertical position, as seen in Fig.2, with the panel closed. To these crank-arms links P are hung by oneend, the other end hung to the desk below or inside the hinge-pivot J,and, as at R, the length of these arms, their connection with the cranksand the disk is such as shown, that when in theup position, asrepresented in Fig. 2, the desk I is turned upward, the link-connectiontherewith then being below the hinge-pivot J on which the desk turns,and the hinge-pivot J having approached the connection between the linksand the crank-arms to its nearest point, if from this closed position,as seen in Fig. 2, the lower edge of the panel be drawn outward thecrank-arms are correspondingly turned, which gives to the panel thedownward movement. At the saine time the distance between the connectionof the link to the crank-arm and the hinge-pivot J is increasing.Consequently the link P operates upon the desk to turn it from theposition seen in Fig. 2 to that seen in Fig. 3, and as the desk comes toa bearing against the lower edge of the panelbar E, as seen in Fig. 3,and as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 5, the further movement of thecrank-arms and links is arrested and the book-rack stands suspended bythe crankarms and links, as 'seen in Fig. 3. If, now, the panel beraised from the lower edge, it will impart a corresponding rising andinward movement to the crank-arms, which will return the panel to itsplace. At the same time the links P will operate upon the desk I andcanse it to turn into its np posit-ion, as represented in Fig. 2, and sothat as the panel comes to a stop against the case it will there besupported, the crank-arms having been brought to substantially avertical position. By this construction the book-rack is carried so farupward in its closed position as to be out of the way of the openingcover, and after the cover is opened and the book-rack thrown outward itwill drop over the cover and so far down as to come into a convenientposition for the player.

I represent'. two links as connect-ing the crank-arms with the desk, andthis is preferable, but as the desk is rigid a single link will answerthe purpose one, therefore, may be omitted. I also represent twocrank-arms and the crank-shaft as extending nearly the length of thepanel-frame; but a single crankarm may be employed-that is, one of thecranks may be omitted-but in the employment of a single crank it ispreferable that it shall be arranged at the center.

It is not essential that the two crank-arms be connected, as by therock-shaft; but such connection between the cranks is desirable.

The arrangement of the single crank at the center, as suggested, is too-apparent to require illustration.V

I have represented the links l) as connected to the crank-arms M by adownward turn formed in the crank-pin, and this is preferable, as itenables the making of the rod crankarm from wire; but the link may beconnected directly to the crank-arm, as represented in Fig. G, ifpreferred.

lVhile I have described the invention as for book-racks for pianos, itwill be understood that the invention is applicable to other instrumentsin which the cases are of similar construction.

I claiml. The herein-described book rack tor pianos and like purposes,consisting of the front panel above the key-board constructed with anextension from its upper edge, the case constructed with an openingthrough which the said extension from the upper edge of the panel maypass, one or more crankarms hung to the case upon the inside of thepanel, and to the panel-above the point ol' connection with the case, adesk hinged to the lower edge of the panel, a link hung to one or moreof the said crank-arms between the bearings in which the said crank-armswork and extending downward, the other end of the links hung to thepanel below the hinged pivot between the panel and the desk,substantially as described.

2. In a book-rack for pianos and like purposes, a front panelconstructed with an extension from its upper edge, the case constructedwith a corresponding opening through which the said extension works upand down, the lower bar of the panel-frame recessed longitudinally uponits front side, and from its lower edge a desk hinged to the lower edgeof the said panel-frame and adapted to turn into or from said recess,the said desk extending below its pivot, one or more crank-arms hung tothe case in rear of the panel and to the panel above the crank-bearingon the case, with a link hung by one end to the crankarms between theconnection of said crankarms with the case and panel, the link extendingdownward and hung to the desk below the pivot-connection between thedesk and the frame, substantially as described.

JOHN R. LOMAS. lVit-nesses:

FRED C. EARLE, J. Il. SHUMwAv.

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